Fuel economizer



March 28, 1939. H. D. CHURCH 2,152,028

- 1 FUEL ECONOMIZER Filed Nov. 6, 1937 INVENTOR. HAROLD D. CHURCH.

'ITORNEYS.

Patented an 2%, i3

FUEL ECUNQWWR Harold D.v Church, Cleveland Heights, lililiio, as-

signor of one-half to Raymond M. Anderson,

Detroit, Mich.

Application November 6, 1937, Serial No. 173,221

8 (Claims.

This invention relates broadly to hydro-carbon engines and morespecifically to mechanism for controlling the ratio of air and gasolinein the fuel mixture during part load operation of such engines.

In the development of the internal combustion engine various means havebeen used from time to time to improve the fuel economy thereof. Theseefforts contemplated generally mechanism for modification of the air gasratio after the engine had been started, instrumentalities for theadmission of a constant'suppplemental supply of air to the mixture afteratomization of the fuel and various spray jet operating devices forleaning the mixture concomitant with the engine road speed loads.

Although gains in economy have been attributed to the use of theforegoing devices, such gain has been realized only at the sacrifice ofengine response during the initial adjustment of the throttle or thelack of flexibility of the engine under part load throttle.

The mechanism comprising the present invention embodies a valvecontrolled by a vacuum responsive device coupled with the engine intakemanifold and organized for automatic modification of the air gas ratioin proportion to the road speed loads of the engine. With such mechanisma fuel mixture of suitable combustability for uniform performance willbe delivered to the engine irrespective of the load and speed demandsthereon and without loss of engine response or flexibility ofperformance.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a valve actuatingmechanism for regulating the air-gas ratio of the fuel mixtureproportional to the road speed load requirements of the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism forautomatically slightly enrichening or leaning the mixture momentarilyunder slight opening or closing of the throttle within a predeterminedrange of road load operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism for increasingand automatically cutting off the auxiliary air supply when manifolddepression falls below a predetermined minimum regardless of speed.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism for reducing theengine pumping losses and increasing the part load compression pressure,thereby increasing the throttle thermal efficiency of the engine.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary of the foregoing andthe manner in which all he various objects are realized will appear inthe following description which, considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing, sets forth the preferred embodiment of theinvention.

Referring to the drawing in which the preferred 5 embodiment of theinvention is illustrated:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a fragmentary portion of an internalcombustion engine including a carburetor of thedown draft type and theautomatic air valve constituting the present inlo illustrated herein,may be of the down draft type. 20

The engine is provided with an air cleaner it connected in the"customary manner to the carburetor it.

The carburetor throttle tube i2 is formed with a boss having an apertureit therein which is 25 disposed in juxtapositon to throttle plate liwhen adjusted in engine idling position and on the carburetor sidethereof. The boss i5 is drilled and tapped for the reception of a pipefitting l8 adapted to support a tube it to convey the pres- 30 sure ataperture it to the automatic air valve 28.

The valve 2t may'be incorporated within the carburetor or intakemanifold as a unitary part thereof or may be formed, as shown, as anaccessory for installation between the carburetor tube 35 and manifoldof an engine. In detail the valve comprises a plate 20 having an openingin the central portion thereof equal to the bore of the intake manifold.The plate is disposed intermediate the companion flanges of thecarburetor 40 and intake manifold it, gaskets 22 being provided in theassembly to facilitate a fluid-tight connection. The central portion ofthe plate is formed with a boss 26 which is bored for the reception of apiston 25 machined for a snug 45 reciprocating fit within the bore orcylinder 23. The inner end of the cylinder 23 is provided with a duct 26in fluid. communication with the opening in the central portion of theflange 2i and coaxially aligned with the bore of the cylinder. 50

The piston 25 is formed with a reduced end portion 21, which is taperedto form a conical valve 28 adapted for seated engagement upon the wallof the cylinder which defines the throat of the duct 26. The free end ofthe cylinder is threaded for the reception of a cap 29 having a pipefitting 30 in the end wall thereof for the support of the tube l9.Within the recessed portion of the piston there is a helical spring 3|compressively engaged with the cap 29 and adapted to urge the cone valve28 upon its seat in the throat of the duct 26. The cylinder 24 is formedwith a boss 32 having a bore therein for the support of a conduit 33which provides fluid communication from the cylinder to the air cleanerM.

The fitting 30 is preferably formed with bore 34 having a plug 35therein which is constructed with a reduced end portion 36 for thesupport of a helical spring 31. The spring is engaged with a disc valve38 seated upon the end wall of the bore 34 and restricted from excessivelongitudinal movement by the end of the plug 35. The periphery of thevalve is toothed or serrated to facilitate the free circulation of airthrough the canal 39 and the communicating bores 40 and 4| in the plug35 so that the piston 25 will seat immediately upon reduction of thesubatmospheric pressure in the line IS. The centerpf the disc isprovided with an aperture 42 of restricted area so that sudden movementof the piston 25 will be retarded upon the initial application of highsubatmospheric pressure through the tube l9. Thus when the throttlevalve is adjusted to a position when a high subatmospheric pressure isobtained in the tube is, the cone valve will. be lifted slowly from itsseat but when the subatmospheric pressure falls to the point where thespring 3! outweighs the pressure the piston 25 will "slide inwardly andimpose a vacuum upon the disc which in turn overcomes the spring 31, andfacilitates the rapid closure of the cone valve 28.

The spring 3| is constructed to seat the valve 28 when the throttle H isadjusted to its closed position as when the engine is idling but will beovercome by the subatmospheric pressure in the zone of the aperture l5in the throttle tube during the early opening of the throttle plate I1.In order to maintain a combustible mixture throughout the operativecycle of the valve 23 the tapered end thereof is calibrated against thearea of the throttle opening; the spring 3| and the pressure in. thecarburetor throttle tube to effect an air gas ratio of the desiredproportion, at throttle openings corresponding to average road loadmixture volume requirements. Obviously the size, location and shape ofthe aperture I6 can be arranged in respect to the throttle plate l l toeffect the desired pressure in the tube I 9 through any predeterminedroad speed range. Thus it will be seen that Huringthe operation of theengine where the throttle valve is adjusted at less than wide openposition, the position of the piston 23 will be altered by changes inthrottle setting or by changes in the engine speed and load. Since inordinary operating conditions of an automotive vehicle the powerrequirements are being constantly altered by variations in rollingresistance and/or wind resistance, the automatic reciprocation of thepiston within the predetermined range of operation or the so calledhunting action, the valve tends, at all times, to supply the engine withthe leanest mixture which will satisfy the instantaneous road loadrequirements. As the valve constantly changes its position during normalroad operation, the area of valve opening will constantly meter theadmission of supplemental air so that the most economic air gas ratio tothe road speed may be realized.

It willbe apparent from the foregoing that as the valve 28 is openedsupplemental air will be admitted through the duct 26 and commingle withthe fuel mixture in the intake manifold ll, thereby diluting themixture, atomizing the charge to a higher degree and in additionreducing the engine pumping losses.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailedcharacter, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, itis to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to berestrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts andmodifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from thescope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine embodying an intake pipe having athrottle plate therein, means for the dilution of the fuel mixture insaid intake pipe, comprising a conduit connected with said intake pipeon the carburetor side of the throttle plate when the throttle is closedand substantially adjacent the edgethereoi' which passes thereby as thethrottle is opened, a pres sure responsive mechanism to which saidconduit leads, a valve operatively connected with said pressureresponsive mechanism and interposed in an opening in said intake pipe onthe engine side of said throttle plate, said valve being calibrated tovary the volume of air admitted therethrough relative to thesub-atmospheric pressure in said conduit.

2. In an internal combustion engine embodying an intake pipe having athrottle therein, a

7 pressure responsive mechanism, a fluid connection between the pressureresponsive mechanism and said intake pipe, said connection entering saidintake pipe through an orifice disposed on the carburetor side of saidthrottle close to the peripheral edge thereof when the throttle isclosed and disposed so that said throttle passes thereby as it isopened, an air valve operatively connected with said pressure responsivemechanism and connected with said intake pipe on the engine side of saidthrottle, to admit auxiliary air into said .intakepipe, said valve beingcalibrated to vary the admission of air therethrough substantiallyproportional to variations in the subatmospheric pressure in said fluidconnection due to variations in engine speed for certain throttlepositions. I

3. In an internal combustion engine embodying an intake pipe having athrottle therein, meansfor the automatic control of the fuel mixtureratio comprising a pressure responsive mechanism, a fluid connectionbetween the pressure responsive mechanism and said intake pipe, saidconnection entering said intake pipe through an orifice disposed on thecarburetor side of said throttle adjacent the peripheral edge thereofwhen said throttle is adusted in engine idling position and so disposedas to be gradually brought into the zone of sub-atmospheric pressure asthe throttle is opened, an air valve operatlvely con nected with saidpressure responsive mechanism and communicating with said intake pipe onthe engine side of said throttle, said valve and said pressureresponsive mechanism automatically increasing the admission of air tothe intake pipe as the throttle is moved from engine idling position toa predetermined-opening and automatically decreasing the admission ofair to the intake pipe when the throttle is moved beyond saidpredetermined opening.

4. In an internal combustion engine embodying an intake pipe having athrottle plate therein, means for the automatic admission ofsupplementai air into the fuel mixture comprising, a valve for admittingair into the intake pipe on the engine side of said throttle plate, apressure responsive mechanism operatively connected with said valve, amember having a fluid passage therein communicating with said pressureresponsive mechanism and with the intake pipe through an orifice on thecarburetor side of the throttle plate when the throttle is closed and inintimate relation with the portion of the plate which passes thereby asthe throttle plate is moved toward its open position, said pressureresponsive mechanism and said valve being calibrated relative thesub-atmospheric pressure in said fluid passage to admit air into saidintake pipe proportional the engine load and speed within apredetermined range of throttle positions.

5. In an internal combustion engine having an intake pipe and a throttletherein, mechanism for the automatic admission of supplemental air tothe fuel mixture in said intake pipe comprising a fluid opened valve, avalve housing therefor having a port thereincommunicating with theatmosphere and a second port in said housing leading to said intake pipeon the engine side of said throttle, a. spring in said housing normallyurging said valve to close the second named port, a conduit leading fromsaid valve as housing to said intake pipe for the transmission ofsub-atmospheric pressure for operating said valve and communicatingtherewith through an opening on the carburetor side of the throttle, anddisposed in the intake pipe so that the throttle passes thereby as saidthrottle is opened, said valve being formed to admit a volume of airproportional the volume of fuel mixture passing v said orifice beingjuxtaposed to said throttle and is opened, said valve being formed toeffect predetermined progressive opening areas which are proportional tothe progressive opening areas of said throttle within the range ofengine speed determined by the shape and location of said orifice.

7. In an internal combustion engine having a throttle plate in theintake pipe, mechanism for controlling the admission of air to the fuelmixture in the intake pipe, comprising a. cylinder, a

piston therein, a valve plunger on said piston, said cylinder having aport therein adjacent said plunger and communicating with the atmosphereanda second port in fluid communication with said intake pipe on theengine side of said throttle plate, the opening of said second namedport being operatively controlled by said plunger for the admission ofatmospheric air to said intake pipe, a conduit connecting the portion ofthe cylinder rearward of said piston with said intake pipe and havingfluid communication therewith through an orifice on the carburetor sideof the throttle plate injuxtaposition with the seat therefor when thethrottle is closed, said orifice being disposed so that the throttleplate passes thereby as the throttle is progressively opened within apredetermined range of engine opem tion, whereby said orifice issubjected progressively to the influence of sub-atmospheric pressure inthe intake pipe and to variations of sub-' atmospheric pressureindependent of throttle movement caused by load variations imposed uponthe engine.

8. In an internal combustion engine embodying an intake pipe having athrottle plate therein, mechanism for the automatic control of the ratioof air to gasoline in the fuel mixture, comprising a valve for theadmission of air to the intake pipe on the engine side of said throttleplate, a pressure responsive m connected therewith, a conduit connectingsaid pressure responsive mechanism with the intake pipe through anorifice therein, said orifice being located in relation to said throttleplate to admit atmospheric pressure in said conduit when the throttle isin idling position, and located so that the throttle plate passesthereby as the throttle is opened and circumferentially located relativethe edge of said throttle plate when in its closed position to effectmaximum sub-atmospheric pressure in said conduit at a predetermined partthrottle position.

nanomn.onoma

